Because of the corona virus, the dance floors of the Berlin clubs were empty. An end to the pandemic is still not in sight. With a pilot project, however, a way through the night is to be shown.
Before the “Metropol”Club in Berlin’s trendy district of Schöneberg, you can feel both excitement and anticipation on this Friday evening. On the one hand there are the 300 PCR-tested partygoers who are looking forward to their first night in a dance club since the beginning of the corona pandemic. On the other hand, there are politicians and the club owners who are looking forward to this weekend. With the three-day pilot project “Reboot Clubculture” the internationally celebrated Berlin club scene should be shown new perspectives after 18 months in the Corona-Aus.
At the beginning of the pandemic in spring 2020, clubs were among the places to which larger corona outbreaks could be attributed – the so-called superspreading events. One of them happened at the end of February 2020 not far from the “Metropols”, in the “Trumpet”.
Celebrate despite Corona: Several clubs involved in pilot project
During the club life of that time, a number of factors could come together that are likely to be considered ideal conditions for a virus that spreads via the finest droplets that float in the air for a long time. For example: A large number of partiers who mingle for hours. In addition, dancing close together, sometimes with stuffy air. Because of the music you have to speak loudly or yell at yourself, sometimes you sing along loudly – this releases more aerosols than silent activities.
The aim of the pilot project is to find out how and whether it is safe to dance indoors in a pandemic – dancing outside has been allowed again since the end of June, subject to compliance with hygiene rules. Participate in the project in addition to “Metropol” five more clubs like “Kitkat”, “SO36” or “Festival hall Kreuzberg”. They offer events with around 40 artists from the scene on the two nights between Friday and Sunday. The 25 euro tickets were sold out in a few minutes.
Club-goers must take a PCR test before entering
The following rules apply to the total of 2,000 clubbers: Everyone must do a PCR test a few hours before entry in three specially set up test centers. Admission is only possible with a negative result. It should not be differentiated whether people have already been vaccinated. You don’t need a mask or space.
Part of the pilot project is also a second PCR test one week after the event. In order for as many as possible to come to the test, advertising was mainly done in Berlin. Anyone who can be tested a second time will receive ten euros of the ticket price back. For the second test, Florian Kainzinger from Think.Health Hygiene Solutions is hoping for a participation of 70 to 80 percent in order to be able to draw conclusions for further steps.
Berlin Senate supports pilot project of the club scene
Am “Metropol” there is great anticipation on Friday evening. At the entrance, party-goers are relieved to take off their masks. A man hugs his companion, another prances into the club. “I feel like I’m going to have the first party today”says organizer Bork Melms.
Berlin’s Senator for Culture Klaus Lederer (Die Linke) will also be there at the start. The Senate supports the pilot project. Lederer is optimistic: “I believe that we have pulled in all the safety lines here that could be pulled in”says the politician before “Metropol”. Lutz Leichsenring from the Club Commission, an association of club operators, says: “The next few days are very crucial for the club scene.”
Ticket suspensions due to positive PCR tests
Am “Kitkat”, where one of the three PCR test centers specially set up for the project is located, a long queue already forms in the early evening. According to Florian Kainzinger, over 2000 PCR tests were carried out on Friday. “So far, several positive participants have been identified and tickets have been blocked”says Kainzinger.
The number of infections is increasing again in Germany and also in Berlin, the values are highest among adolescents and young adults. These are age groups in which the proportion of people who have been vaccinated is lower compared to the elderly, but they also have a lower risk of becoming seriously ill.
So will PCR tests soon be a prerequisite for clubbing in addition to the right outfit? “We hope it is not the future”says Pamela Schobeß from the club committee with a view to the complex procedure. “But it would be a possibility for autumn.”
